Ashtray



Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNrrEo STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to ashtrays and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character especially designed for attachment to a card table or other suitable support for receiving and holding cigar and cigarette ashes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ashtray having a sliding cut-off plate pivotally mounted in the bottom thereof and on which the ashes are deposited, means being provided for discharging the ashes on the plate into a receptacle designed to receive the same when the plate is swung laterally to open position and means for automatically returning said plate to closed position.

`A further object is to provide an ashtray having a depending tubular portion extending therefrom and to which is detachably secured an ash receiving receptacle so as to permit ready reco moval of said receptacle when it is desired to clean the same.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicated corresponding parts,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, of an ashtray embodying the present invention showing the same in position on a card table.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a detail transverse sectional View, taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

The improved ash receiver forming the subjectmatter of the present invention comprises a tray 5 which may be round, square, or of any other desired shape, said tray being preferably dishshaped in cross section and provided at its upper end with a circumferential laterally extending flange 6 which forms a supporting ledge for cigarettes, cigars, and the like. The bottom of the tray 5 is smooth and flat, as indicated at 1, and depending from said bottom is an extension or tubular portion 8 which extends through a correspondingly shaped opening formed in a table top 9 so that the lower end of the portion 8 projects a considerable distance below the bottom of the table top 9, as shown. The exterior walls of the portion v8 may, if desired, be threaded at I0 for engagement with a clamping nut I I to securely hold the device in position on the table top and in order to prevent scarring or otherwise injuring the table top, a washer I2 is preferably interposed between the clamping nut II and the table top and against which the clamping nut bears when the latter is rotated. The lower end of the tubular portion 8 is formed with a bayonet slot I3 and detachably secured to the tubular por- 5 tion 8 is a receptacle I4 designed to receive the ashes deposited in the tray 5. A pin I5 projects laterally from the reduced neck Ill of the receptacle I4 for engagement with the bayonet slot I3 so that by pressing upwardly on the bottom of the 10 receptacle I4 and slightly rotating the same until the pin clears the angular portion of the bayonet slot I3, the receptacle I4 may be' readily detached from the tubular portion 8 to permit the ashes therein to be emptied when desired.

Disposed within the tray 5 and resting on the flat bottom 'I thereof is a circular cut-off plate I'I having at one side thereof a laterally extending pivot lug I8 and at its diametrically opposite side a finger piece or handle I9. Extending through the wall of the tray 5 and through the lug I8 is a pivot pin 28, the upper end of which is inclined at 2| to conform to the inclination of the wall of the tray 5, while the lower end thereof extends through the bottom of the tray and is flattened or upset at 22 against said bottom so as to prevent displacement thereof. The outer end of the lug I8 is formed with an integral upstanding ear 23 to which is secured one end of a coil spring 24, the opposite end of the spring being secured to a pin 25 threaded in the tubular member 8, as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. One side of the tray 5 at its junction with the at bottom 1 thereof is cut away to form an arcuate stop shoulder 26 against which the adjacent curved edge of the plate I'I bears, the opposite side of the tray being provided with an arcuate slot 21 through which the adjacent edge of the plate I1 passes when the handle I9 is actuated to discharge the ashes deposited on the plate I1 downwardly through the tubular member 8 into the receptacle I4.

In operation, ashes from a cigar or cigarette are deposited within the tray 5 on the plate I1 and when a sufcient quantity of ashes have been deposited thereon, said ashes are discharged through the tubular member 8 into the receptacle I4 by moving the finger piece I9 in the direction of the arrow indicated in Figure 2 of the drawing. As the plate I1 passes through the arcuate slot 21, the ashes thereon coming in contact with the adjacent wall of the tray 5 will be scraped off the plate and fall by gravity into the receptacle I4. When the receptacle I4 is filled with ashes it may be readily detached from the tubular portion 8 and the ashes removed therefrom in a well-known manner. When the handle I9 is released, the spring 24 will automatically return the plate l l to closed position and in which position said plate acts as a closure for the upper end of the tubular portion 8 so that ashes on the plate cannot be discharged into the receptacle I4 until the linger piece I9 is again actuated.

By reference to Figure 3 of the drawing, it will be be noted that the at surface 1 of the tray 5 is formed by cutting away the bottom thereof so that said tray, in effect, is formed with a seating recess surrounded on one side by an arcuate stop shoulder.

The trays may be made in diierent sizes and shapes and nickeled, japanned or otherwise coated to give them a neat and attractive appearance. While the tray is particularly designed for attachment to card tables, it will, of course, be understood that the tray may be used with equally good results on a desk, chair, automobile or wherever a device of this character is found desirable and applicable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An ash receiver comprising a tray having a depending tubular portion adapted to extend through a support and provided with exterior threads, a clamping nut engaging said threads and adapted to bear against the support, an ash receptacle detachably secured to the lower end of the tubular portion, a cut-off plate pivotally mounted in the tray and normally forming a closure for the upper end of the tubular portion, a spring operatively connected with the pivoted end of the cut-off plate, and a finger piece projecting through one wall of the tray for moving the cut-01T plate to open position against the tension of the spring.

2. An ash receiver comprising a tray having a depending tubular portion adapted to extend through a support and provided with a flat bottom, there being an arcuate shoulder on one side of the bottom of the tray and an arcuate slot on the other, an ash receptacle detachably secured to the lower end of the tubular portion, a cut-off plate pivotally mounted within the tray and normally resting on the at bottom thereof with one side of the plate bearing against the arcuate shoulder, said plate being provided at one side with a pivot lug and at the other side with an operating handle, a pin projecting laterally from the tubular portion, and a spring forming a yieldable connection between the pivot lug and said pin.

3. An ash receiver comprising a tray having a depending tubular portion adapted to extend through a support and having its bottom formed with a shallow recess defining a flat bearing surface and an arcuate stop shoulder, there being an arcuate slot formed in the walls of the tray opposite said shoulder, an ash receptacle detachably secured to the lower end of the tubular portion, a cut-olf plate forming a closure for the upper end of the tubular portion, said cut-01T plate being provided at one side thereof with a pivot lug having an upstanding attaching ear and at another side with a iinger piece extending through said arcuate slot, a pivot pin forming a pivotal connection between the pivot lug and ashtray, an anchoring pin extending from the tubular portion, and a spring forming a yieldable connection between the upstanding ear and said pin.

LOUIS HEISENFELDT. 

